Food Waste Being Turned into Electricity in Elk Grove

posted by KFBK News - Mike Simpson
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3 years ago

It's called bio-gas, and it may be powering your home. Food waste is now being turned into electricity in Sacramento.

There's a new facility out at the county wasterwater treatment plant in Elk Grove that's taking fats, oils, grease -- even old soda -- and turning it into methane gas, which then is used by SMUD in a power plant.

"We estimate that when this facility is at full capacity it will generate enough electricity to power about 700 homes," Ruben Roblens with Sacramento County Sanitation said.

Roblens says they get most of the grease from restaurants. He says keeping the process local saves gas on trucking the waste out of town and also helps to make sure none of this stuff winds up in sewers and clogs the system.